


kiss me in 2018

by bloomingbruise



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, New Year's Eve, Strangers to Lovers, also wise domestic chansoo, and nosy baekchen, basically just sarcastic but soft sekai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 12:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13235460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloomingbruise/pseuds/bloomingbruise
Summary: for fear of seeing his childhood crush, sehun doesn’t want to go out for new years. after being forced however, he meets someone who makes it worth his while.





	kiss me in 2018

**Author's Note:**

> this just flowed from me. everything i’ve been writing and thinking of has been fairly angsty so this was a nice change for me. please enjoy, and leave comments/kudos :D

“you need to come out sehun,” chanyeol’s voice chimed through the closed door loud and clear. sehun couldn’t see his face but he could imagine the expression the other held. mild concern soaked in wide puppy eyes. he knew kyungsoo was leaning against the wall just steps behind chanyeol. “i know you’re bummed about luhan and his new fiancé but he was just a high school crush right? you’re bigger and better than the person you were then and you’ll find someone who deserves this you. it’s surely not him. and for tonight, you’re hot enough to find someone to kiss at midnight. c’mon sehun.”

the younger crosses his arms over his chest. “i don’t know,” he sighed, smirk playing along his cheeks as he stumbled towards his closet and carded through several shirts before slipping one on over his head.

“if you don’t go, i’m sure you will regret it,” kyungsoo chimed. chanyeol was really bringing out the big (or perhaps small) guns now. getting kyungsoo to talk. he was impressed with his roommate’s dedication. opening the door with a soft smile.

“well, i surely don’t want to regret it. plus i’m dressed so i suppose i’m in,” their eyes didn’t meet. instead sehun fingered his curls. lips too curled into a sneaky smile.

“no shit,” chanyeol uncrossed his arms in disbelief. he wrapped an arm around sehun’s neck, his free hand grabbed kyungsoo’s wrist and whisked them both away. “to the bar,” he said with absolute determination.

..

“bartender, another round!” sehun raised a finger,  
smiling at the man who mixed his drink. watching as he stuck a lemon peel at the end and slid it to him. the crowd he was with was a bit mixed. never would sehun label himself a social butterfly but tonight (with a little help from some spirits) defied his status quo.

“sehun!” baekhyun, an old friend of chanyeol’s greeted with a beam and another on his hip. his cheeks grew rosy as he threw his arms around the younger, wry fingers brushing his ass and a cheeky laugh slipped from him. “it’s been too long since you came out. before kyungsoo and chanyeol started playing house, sehun was always yeol’s date.”

“ah no no, never would i call myself chanyeol’s date. i have standards. don’t listen to baekhyun. he speaks only in lies,” sehun jumped in with haste to clear the air. this only earned a laugh from the other. “i’m sehun, by the way, it’s a pleasure.”

baekhyun’s friend’s laughter was booming, even at the smallest jokes. it somehow endeared sehun while also giving him a massive migraine. “i’m jongdae, it’s great to finally meet you.”

“finally,” said the younger slowly, sending baekhyun not so subtle daggers with his gaze as well as mentally kicking all his friends in the shin. “i hope it’s all been good and flattering.”

“you’re their baby... it’s nothing too bad. my brothers and i do the same to our youngest,” jongdae explained. his words, however, were lost on him as a familiar face entered the bar. angelic and sweet, his smile reached everyone. and so did the person curled against him. they were breathtaking.

and they were even more beautiful together. pointed features of one complimented the softness of the other in a way sehun knew he could not. and it was clear they were both well aquatinted with the enter room.

“ah excuse me,” sehun mumbled, leaving baekhyun and jongdae in a somewhat rude manner before locating kyungsoo and chanyeol. the two were pressed together at the bar. he wrapped his arms around kyungsoo’s waist and buried his head in his neck like a child would their mother. a very tall child.

“he’s here,” he hissed to the smaller, though loud enough for his other half to hear, “with his fiancé.”

they each sighed and offered sehun a sympathetic glance. kyungsoo’s fingers softly grazed his back. up and down soothingly. “you haven’t seen him in years. you’ve dated other people since then.”

“yeah, tao,” sehun mumbled, eyes falling to them, “and wow. look at that. there they both are. luhan, the man i’ve wanted to marry since middle school and tao, my ex talking.” his shoulders slumped. “and his fiancé is so beautiful. look at his smile, he’s beaming.”

“c’mon sehun don’t pretend to be wrecked over tao now,” chanyeol rolled his eyes, pulling sehun off of kyungsoo. “stand up straight,” he listened, “no straighter. now smile. and nod. now tell me something good about yourself.”

“i call my dog more than my mom and he lives with me.” he spat out.

“he said good sehun,” kyungsoo scolded.

“i work at a nonprofit law firm. i’m one of the best there. i have a nametag. a business card. and a hat. and they value me.”

chanyeol lips spread into his famous grin, ear to ear it stretched as he pat sehun on the back. “there we go. and your relationship status?”

“single, content. it’s more on the back burner with my career. but i take the time to date here and there,” he let out a faux chuckle, “living with chanyeol and kyungsoo has really given me a front row view at romance and i’ve realized it’s just not something i want right now. or can handle. i mean there are some mornings i wake up and chanyeol is—“

“enough!” he was cut off by both of them. chanyeol’s hands clasped over his mouth and kyungsoo’s fist in his gut. the shorter continued. “all of that was perfect, except that end bit. no need to over share.” chanyeol crossed his arms, nodding in agreement.

“if he comes to me, at least i’m prepared,” he said softly, mentally preparing his speech in his head as another walked towards the trio.

“kyungsoo!” he grinned, stretching his arms out to hug him.

“ah junmyeon you know i’m not a hugger,” he spoke slowly.

“i am,” chanyeol intercepted, bringing him in for a large bear hug, “how is my favorite coworker of kyungsoo’s? things still good down at the cafe?”

“can you really pick a favorite kim? i won’t tell my mother,” he laughed sweetly before continuing. “ah no complaints. business is incredible this time of year and my brothers are all working hard. your kyungsoo is obviously killing the finances. we’re lucky to have him.”

“ohhhhh that’s your cafe? kyungsoo always brings me back muffins and sweets. i guess i should thank you,” sehun smiled at the stranger, offering a hand that was graciously taken.

“i own the cafe, yes,” his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and pride, “but the star baker who probably made whatever you ate was my baby brother j—“

“jongin!”

the entire room lit up as he who must’ve been jongin walked through the door. long limbs carried him through the bar, shaking hands and smiling at everyone he moved by. there was something wildly dazzling about him that couldn’t go unnoticed. sehun winced, watching as he hugged luhan and pressed a kiss against his fiancé’s cheek. moving then along to baekhyun and jongdae; the former nibbling on his ear as he whispered something, playful hands roaming south. sehun could hear jongdae’s whines from across the room.

his eyes stuck to the other, barely realizing that he had moved closer. closer. close. before he brought junmyeon in for a hug, kyungsoo too allowed him to pull him in.

“what are you doing here nini? i thought you had plans,” junmyeon tilted his head to the side.

“taemin and i went to dinner. and he met someone else there. they wanted to go to a club and i just wanted to chill. so we went our separate ways and here i am. what? is my big brother disappointed to see me on new year’s eve? the others were tickled..”

sehun felt himself shrinking as he offered junmyeon a charming smile, moving it over the group.

“kyungsoo, it’s almost surreal seeing you out of the cafe. you look so much cozier and content here. and chanyeol, it’s nice to see you out in the world too instead at the counter. flirting with soo. like you’ve never met before. lame.” he chuckled.

“speaking of,” junmyeon began, handing jongin a drink as he spoke, “sehun here was just complimenting me on the baked goods we have there. which is just not an affirmation   
i can truly accept.”

“who is sehun?” he asked, no malice was read in his tone.

to this, the younger‘s cheeks flooded with red. “ah, that’s me. i’ve only really had the muffins. they’re good. so... many praises jongin.”

the baker’s brow quirked but he stayed silent.

and sehun excused himself. settling alone at the bar with his drink. the party went on without him. the crowd found its groove, the ebbs and flows of each person in the group, finding their link and similarities. nobody had made sehun feel excluded. in fact, they were all exceptionally kind to him. welcoming him with bright smiles and open arms. perhaps had he not been dead set on misery, happiness could’ve welcomed him too. but instead, he settled on bitterness. he winced at the sour liquid. downing it. downing a second. and as he went to drink his third someone cleared their throat. sehun looked to him and his amused face with curiosity.

“you know, i’ve met everyone here at least a handful of times,” his voice low. there was something in it that was almost sultry.

to this, sehun nodded, “well we have a social butterfly in our midst, don’t we?” he set his drink down, swirling it sassily with his straw.

“perhaps,” jongin revealed his teeth, “what i’m saying is. i know everyone here. but i don’t know you. i’d remember you if i just met you once. or even saw you. so do chanyeol and kyungsoo lock you in your room or...?” his sentence had no real end.

“i’m pretty dedicated to my job,” a lie. a lie he fed him with a nod that lacked all confidence and was met with doubtful eyes. “yeah... and i don’t love to go out. with the guys. ever. not quite my thing.”

“what these guys?” he gestured to the room and sehun nodded, “i mean they’re all assholes sure— hey yixing!” he paused to greet another, picking their conversation up as if nothing happened, “but they’re decent assholes. you live with chanyeol and kyungsoo, you know that.”

sehun groaned, hanging his head. he knew jongin was right.

“now,” the older said, moving a stool closer and wrapping an arm around sehun’s waist. “buy me a drink.”

and to this, he just couldn’t say no.

..

they talked for a good chunk of the evening. something about them just clicked. sehun wanted to be sad and pitied and jongin refused to feed into such a nature. with each pessimistic thing that left the younger’s lips, the older shot him down. and while it was a little annoying, something bubbled in sehun at the tough love he knew he needed.

after several drinks, an all too familiar couple sat at the other end of the bar. and this earned an outward groan from sehun. his head meeting the wooden countertop.

“woah woah woah,” jongin pinched his side, “what’s this tantrum about wittle baby?”

sehun sighed, lifting his head. “don’t laugh.”

“i make no promises,” he lifted his hands defensively. though that smirk always stuck to his lips.

“my... adolescence crush is here,” he paused.

“uh-huh...”

“and i’m not like into him anymore but i still remember what it was like to be. i remember the crush embarrassingly vividly.”

“yeah....”

“and he looks really good tonight. he’s doing ridiculously well. and i just feel.... i don’t know,” he sighed, feeling foolish. “okay say something.”

“i’m trying not to make fun of you.”

“jongin, you can make fun of me.”

“i just think it sounds silly,” he propped his head up on his hand like a kickstand, “letting someone from so many years ago bother you like that. especially when they’re probably unbothered. like damn, i understand a fleeting moment but letting them ruin your night? who is he.”

he watched as jongin scanned the room curiously before looking back to sehun, wonder in his eyes as to who could possibly pique his interest. to which sehun just tilted his head towards the couple.

“minseok?!” jongin’s mouth fell open. “minseok is your crush? i can’t believe my—“

“no no, not minseok,” he cut him off, “luhan.”

jongin looked even more confused. “luhan. i mean, he’s a perfect fit for minnie but you?”

“they are a perfect fit, huh?” sehun sighed. “and his fiancé is so beautiful. his face is so sweet but still breathtaking. i would want him too if i were luhan.”

they watched silently as the other two laughed together. pecking each other softly. it was all of soft, sehun was only mildly jealous.

“he’s beautiful.”

“i hear it’s genetic,” jongin noted, “he gets his looks from his mom, but his brother looks just like their dad. with the charisma of their mom. he’s tall — well i suppose not to you. but to everyone else he’s tall. and handsome. and so charming. kinda into you too.”

jongin went on and sehun grew more confused. “what are you even talking about?”

“oh, minseok is my brother. jongdae and junmyeon are too, but in this moment i think you care more about the oldest.”

“his fiancé is your brother?” he gasped to which jongin nodded. “i’d like to apologize for the mildly hateful and exceptionally bitter things i’ve thought about your brother.”

“jealousy does that i suppose,” he shrugged, “not that this helps but they’re a nice couple. they suit each other. and from what i’ve gathered, you probably wouldn’t be happy. they love to entertain people too much. put on a show. it’s incredible. exhausting too. and it just doesn’t seem like you.”

sehun gained one thing from this. closure. it was assured by a fairly reliable source that he wasn’t missing out and shouldn’t feel any negativity. and when he let it, that sort of absorbed his sadness.

looking towards the clock, midnight grew near.

“i have a silly question,” jongin began, scratching the back of his head. sehun just raises a brow. “you uh, you wanna kiss at midnight?”

“i think midnight kisses are a little cheesy and usually bad luck.”

“can i kiss you next year?”

sehun felt his face flush red at jongin’s request. the implication that they would see each other beyond this left him speechless. it left him warm.

“you can kiss me next year,” he softly replied.

tangling their fingers together, jongin dragged sehun towards the crowd of friends where they huddled beneath a large tv. watching the ball slowly drop and 2018 come nearer and nearer.

5....

everyone screamed. sehun felt a smile inch to his cheeks.

4....

the cheering continued. sehun’s eyes fell to jongin, watching as he cheered. such a sight left his gut churning.

3....

he watched as the couples held each other close. not feeling disgusted or bitter. but endeared to the love that surrounded him.

2....

jongin’s gaze fell to sehun, eyes half lidded as cheers surrounded them.

1....

his smile grew wider with their matched gaze.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” everyone screamed. he and jongin laughed together as confetti flew and poppers went off.

a minute passed midnight and sehun felt a hand grip the back of his neck. eager lips met his in a soft kiss. it tasted like alcohol and promises he wanted to be kept.

as jongin pulled away, sehun pouted. “i thought i told you midnight kisses were cheesy.”

“it’s not midnight. it’s 12:01. and i asked to kiss you next year,” his grin was cheeky.

sehun just dipped back in, kissing it away. this kiss was deeper. full of want. need too. their fingers gripped onto each other like they were a lifeline. an almost stranger comforted sehun more than anyone had before. at least that was what his inebriated mind told me.

jongin pulled away, gasping for air. “you wanna g—“

sehun cut him off, kissing the corner of his mouth softly before nodding and dragging him away. the answer was clear.

they called an uber and escaped to jongin’s apartment. each receiving an influx of texts about their whereabouts.

the messages went unanswered.

...

sehun woke up the next morning curled against jongin’s chest. warm arms wrapped around him and sleepy snores filling his ears.

generally, after a night of drinking, sehun had a few regrets. especially if he found himself in someone else’s bed. but as he stretched his arms, letting out a sleepy groan, the only bad thing was that he felt was a bit sore.

plush lips met his temple, arms tightened around him as jongin mumbled a sleepy ‘good morning’ in his hair.

“how’d you sleep?” the host asked.

sehun wiggled free of his grasp and settled on top of him. “pretty good, you’re bed is so soft, it’s like i’m on a cloud.”

he watched fondly as jongin rubbed his eyes, exhaling into an adorable yawn. while last night he oozed charm and confidence, this jongin was a bit softer. sweeter. more vulnerable. it was incredible seeing him like this. it made his heart swell.

sehun wanted to slap himself.

but a piece of him didn’t. part of him liked being here. he liked the soothing, warm feeling of jongin’s grasp. and how good it felt. he had fun with jongin. fun talking to him. being around him. it was one night and he couldn’t make any promises but he hoped to continue this good feeling. whatever it was.

“earth to sehun?” jongin snapped in front of his face, “hello? were you listening to me?”

“uh, repeat it?” his smile grew cheesy.

jongin pinched his sides, burying his face in sehun’s neck. “you smell so sweet,” he sighed, “anyway... i said that baekhyun and jongdae are stopping by. they’re bringing coffee and breakfast. you may want to get dressed.”

to jongin’s surprise, sehun just shrugged. “baekhyun has seen me naked many times. he’s very, very familiar with my ass.”

“please give me details. he’s dating my brother and i have an ego. i could deal with luhan as my competition but baekhyun? he’s too persistent and..... smooth.”

sehun loved seeing the minor falter in jongin’s confidence. beaming as he looked over the older. “he bit my ass. it was consensual but not enjoyable. nor was it sexual. i don’t think it ever could be.” he spoke matter of factly, watching as jongin’s face relaxed.

with that, the door boomed open and chatter could be heard.

“jongin!” jongdae screeched.

“and sehun!” baekhyun chimed.

“right, they have a key,” jongin chuckled as they stomped into his room.

“cozy are we?” baekhyun asked, snuggling up to sehun, fingers running over his biceps. “you’ve been working out, haven’t you?”

“he looks nice, doesn’t he,” jongin smirked, nuzzling sehun’s neck before his older brother jumped on top of him.

“so,” jongdae leaned in, sehun could feel baekhyun move too with a curious gaze. “are you two a thing?”

he rested his chin against jongin’s chest. “go on, you can answer them jongin.” his smile creeping  
up.

“we uh, well, hm. i mean...” tan cheeks flushed red as he looked along everyone. “i think i’d like to be.... something.”

the two grinned.

“jongin promised to kiss me in 2018, i like to think he’ll keep that promise,” sehun smirked.

leaning in, he nipped the younger’s ear and whispered, “i already have. several times. and more.”

“then do it again,” he replied before pressing their lips together once more.

behind them they could hear disgusted groans from baekhyun and jongdae.


End file.
